Plain Old Harry
by Foodie
Summary: What happens when Harry and Ginny get stuck at the top of a Ferris wheel at a Muggle fair? Read to find out. Please read and review!


This one-shot is actually the brainchild of ElfFlame, who passed it onto me when she didn't feel like continuing with it. The first page is mostly hers, with some changes and additions of my own, but the rest is mine. This is set in the summer between sixth and seventh year for the trio. You know the usual stuff, none of this is mine, it's all JK's, I'm just borrowing them for a while, but I'll give them back in the end, I promise! Please read and review!

Plain Old Harry

It had started out as one of the best summers yet, with everybody back at the Burrow. Hermione was there as well, though she and Ron had finally started sneaking off together for hours on end, and came back flushed and giggly-in Hermione's case, anyway. Hermione and Ginny also spent time hidden away in Ginny's room, so often, Harry was left with only Fred or George to talk to-when they weren't off dealing with business.

Ginny and Harry had become better friends over the holiday as well. It turned out that she was a very good listener and was more than willing to sit and listen to Harry when he needed to talk about some of the more horrible moments of the past school year. Harry had come to rely upon Ginny for the support she gave him.

Harry was grateful for the time at the Burrow, for there had been the distinct possibility that the Hogwarts students would have been kept at the school over the holiday, in order to keep them safer. The war was ongoing, and though he knew it would have been better to stay at school, he was excited for a chance to get away from it all for a while. He knew though, that the only way he'd been allowed off school grounds was with very strong protective charms set up around the Burrow. There were guards set up around the property day and night in case anything happened. In spite of these constant reminders of the conflict in the outside world, Harry and his friends had managed to have loads of fun anyway.

As the holiday was winding down, it was Mrs. Weasley, of all people, who suggested that they go to visit the nearby Muggle fair the week before they were due to get on the Hogwarts Express. She packed a picnic lunch, and she, Mr. Weasley, the twins, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Harry all trooped off to the fairgrounds. Harry knew that there would be people looking after them set up throughout the fairgrounds, but chose to not think about that and to just enjoy himself.

There were all the usual treats: popcorn, candy floss, fruit ices…and tonnes of rides. It had gone well so far. They had paired off differently each time for each ride, but soon Ron, Hermione, Fred and George began to plot. They soon began to "accidentally" pair Ginny and Harry together each time, perhaps hoping that something would come of it. But roller coasters and fast-paced rides did not make for quiet conversations and longing gazes. Ginny took to glaring at her brothers, and Harry at Ron and Hermione, who simply grinned each time.

Harry was determined not to rise to the bait. Sure, Ginny was a friend. But really, that was all they were, right? Yes, he liked to talk to her. And yes, she was very pretty. But how do you get past the memory of a girl looking at you like you were a god incarnate? If he was going to get involved with anyone, it almost certainly wouldn't be Ginny. Besides, she seemed to be getting along just fine without him. After all, how many boyfriends had she had in the last three years?

Then disaster struck. They had been maneuvered into getting on the Ferris wheel together, and the ride had stopped just as they got to the top of the wheel. The couple sat in awkward silence for a few minutes, quietly hoping the ride would start up again soon. After a while though, it became evident that they would be there for a while longer. Harry glanced over at Ginny. "Are you OK?" he asked, smiling weakly.

Ginny sighed and looked at Harry. "I'm fine," she replied.

The two made small talk for about ten minutes before falling back into silence. They remained lost in their own thoughts for a while before Harry was startled to hear Ginny begin to laugh. "I was just remembering the first time I ever met you and found out who you were," she explained as he looked curiously at her. She sighed before continuing, "What a silly child I was. I can't believe I was actually afraid of you!"

Harry flushed at the memory. "What, are you saying you aren't afraid of me anymore?" he asked.

"Of course not! I didn't know you then, but now I do and I can see you're just plain old Harry," Ginny smiled.

Plain old Harry, he thought to himself, plain old Harry? "But…but…" he sputtered.

Ginny looked at Harry carefully. "Don't be upset! I still like you, you know, just not as a hero anymore, even though I know you are one," she said.

Harry sighed, feeling even more confused. Not liking Ginny romantically because she'd used to worship him was one thing, but knowing she no longer felt like that was another! For some reason, it bothered him to know that for sure. He knew it was wrong of him to feel so, but he couldn't help it. A very small part of him liked the idea of still being Ginny's hero. It made him feel special, and important. "No, that's cool," he finally replied quietly.

Ginny scrutinized him. "No, it's not cool. It bothers you to hear that, doesn't it? You're a very vain boy, Harry," she said with a wide grin on her face. When Harry looked at her with wide eyes and an open mouth, she turned away and tried to keep herself composed.

"Vain? Me?" Harry cried, "I'm not vain. Not at all!"

"Yes you are! It bothers you to know that I don't worship you anymore. You liked the attention I paid you. You found it very flattering, and now you have to deal with the fact that I'm just a normal girl, and you're just a normal boy," Ginny replied, folding her arms and turning to look into Harry's eyes.

Harry looked deeply into Ginny's eyes as he thought about this. If they were just normal people, then there was no reason for him to avoid seeing her as a person he could be interested in.

Just as he was imagining what it would be like to go on a date with Ginny, or to hold her hand during a trip to Hogsmeade, Harry was interrupted when Ginny spoke once again. "Just in case you were worried, I thought I'd let you know that I still think you're very cute," she said boldly, smiling as her eyes glinted in the sunlight.

Harry blushed a deep crimson as he looked away from Ginny's intense gaze. He started to feel breathless, lightheaded, and his abdomen started to feel tingly. Ginny thought he was cute! "You're…kind of…cute…too," he stammered quietly while trying to catch his breath.

Ginny grinned and scooted over next to Harry, leaning into him while he leaned back, trying to get away from her, but having to stop at the edge of the seat. "G-Ginny, wh-what are you d-doing?" he stuttered while she moved even closer to him. He soon found out what Ginny was doing as she pressed her lips to his and kissed him for several seconds before pulling away and retreating to the far end of the seat.

Harry's head was spinning as he thought about what had just happened. Suddenly the thought of being "plain old Harry" didn't seem so bad after all. In fact, it seemed like a very good idea, if Ginny had any intentions of bestowing more kisses like that to the plain boy she wouldn't have dared to give to her hero. Unable to think of anything to say, Harry laughed quietly. Next to him, Ginny began to laugh as well. Within seconds, they were both laughing uncontrollably. It took a few minutes for Harry to work up his nerve to lean in towards Ginny and return the kiss she had given him.

The two remained embraced as the Ferris wheel started up again, but neither of them noticed until they heard a group of people cheering. Harry broke away from Ginny to see Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George standing in front of them at the bottom of the ride, clapping and hollering at them. "Nice job, mate!" George hooted while clapping Harry on the back. Hermione was grinning wildly at Ginny, who looked dazedly at the people in front of her.

Harry helped Ginny off the ride and the group walked away from the Ferris wheel, ready for the picnic lunch Mrs. Weasley had prepared for them.

Neither Ginny nor Harry ever found out that Fred had been the one to "help" them out by casting a spell on the ride and shutting it down for so long. All they knew was that the Ferris wheel was now their favourite ride, one they tried to go on at any other fair they ever had the chance to visit.


End file.
